The Peaceful Revolution Youth Council expresses its profound disappointment over the cancellation of the February celebration in Marib, despite the prior approval granted to the organizing committee.

The attendees were taken aback by the sudden and forceful intrusion of security forces into Belqees Park, where families were subjected to assault, phones were confiscated, and Council Secretary-General Amer Al-Saadi, along with activists and journalists, including a Belqees TV reporter, were subjected to physical assault and detained for hours.

The Council vehemently denounces the egregious and hostile act that flagrantly violates human rights and freedoms, thereby prohibiting civic groups from organizing their events.

The Council holds the local authorities in Marib accountable for the Secretary-General's well-being and physical safety, given the potential for incitement to result in harm. This reprehensible and humiliating incident constitutes a blatant and unacceptable assault that cannot be viewed in isolation from the recent statement issued by the Council, which decries the Saudi-Houthi agreements as part of a larger deal to cede control of the country to militias.

We regard this as a clear-cut case of collusion by the Presidential Council with the Saudi-Emirati occupation, which undermines the will of the Yemeni people and their entitlement to safeguard their national sovereignty and democratic ideals embodied by the Republic and democratic unity.

Issued by:
Peaceful Revolution Youth Council
February 11, 2023